CULTURE MOMENT: the horse facing cold winter temperatures

Do you know up to what temperature the horse can adapt to the cold?

The horse, designed to live outdoors, can withstand a temperature between 5 and 25°C for our French climate. But if he lives in an environment where the winter is cold, in autumn this horse will adapt in order to be able to withstand up to -10°C. It will thus protect itself from the cold by making more or less hair, depending on the drop in temperatures and light.

The horse generally tolerates the cold well, however it is fragile to humidity and drafts. Hence the importance of having a shelter for horses in the meadow: in winter they shelter there to protect themselves from wind and rain, in summer they take refuge there to flee insects.

Why shear or cover the horse in this case?

When the horse is active in winter, depending on where it lives, the horse outdoors can warm up on its own by moving, which is more complicated for a boxing horse. However, the horse with a large coat that remains wet for a long time, may catch cold. Thus, a blanket or a mowing can be useful to avoid this cold snap after work.

Have a nice day to you! And cover up, riders, we are not as resistant as our equine friends.